Do you protect your mobile device with an antivirus?

Yes

Not really

Install sometimes to scan

More options

Level 26

It's always been a question asked to us, technology lovers, if an antivirus is really needed on smartphones. And the truth is, as informatics and technology advance, so malware does, to the point to...compromise our phones?

I've read lots of opinions on this matter:

"Antivirus on Android are tools to drain battery"

"Useless RAM consuming apps"

"Android is invulnerable as it's linux based" ---->lol i really heard this

"No virus for Android"

"iPhone has no malware"

On the other hand, i've hard as well:

"Install antivirus once a month to scan, then uninstall"

"Use an antivirus just for on-demand scanning, disable real time protection"

"It is extremely necessary an antivirus in 2017"

Now the question lies on:

Do you use an antivirus on your smartphone?

and

Would you recommend the ordinary regular user to use one on his daily basis?

DISCLOSURE: by answering on this thread you accept the terms and conditions that your answer may or may not be used to fill my security report for university

Personal opinion: Since the implement of Marshmallow and custom permissions for each app, i rely on Google's Security and believe, that on an user with medium knowledge about pishing, adware and malware, an antivirus is not needed as a protection measure.

Level 20

I use an antivirus on my Meizu M2 Android phone, as Meizu includes an antivirus as part of their highy customised version of YunOS/Android.

But, if you only ever download apps from the Play Store, I don't think there is much need for an antivirus. Over the last 7 years, I've downloaded over 1,000 apps from the Play Store, as well as downloading many from 3rd party app stores (mostly Chinese app stores), as well as installing APKs I've downloaded myself, and have never got infected.

Level 9

Level 4

An anti-virus is needed for Android devices. It causes a bit of extra impact on your device, and takes up a bit of storage, but these are not reasons to avoid an AV.

AVs for Android, especially paid ones, are becoming more and more effective, having additional features like web protection.

Beyond AVs, Rooted/Xposed phones can go as far as installing AFWall+ which will will actually block all incoming/outgoing traffic on WIFI or Data for apps that you do not want to access the internet.

I even take it one step further, on top of my paid AV solution for Android, I have Zemana installed as well because it is the only security app that I know will replace Package Explorer in running .apk files.

The battery/RAM argument is moot. There are apps that can counteract/mitigate the minimal resource usage from AVs.

As you mention, it is based on sample files, so it's a "easy way to achieve perfect score". Since malware is developed on thousands daily, rarelly you can find a perfect score on any sig-based software/app. Still, maybe its tools can help on preventing infection. I had a phone a cousin brought me to "repair" with a disgusting adware that would install porn apps literally every 5 minutes. Reinstalled them if you deleted them. You couldn't even fix it with a factory format. I tried BitDefender, Norton, Kaspersky and Qihoo. None could remove it. I had to flash the OS from scratch.

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